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G. .BARTH. DIREG TING ENGINE.

N5. 397,959. Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. A. EARTH. DIRECT ACTING ENGINE.

No. 397,959. Patented Feb. 19. 1889.4

9* N n!" I FFICEQ GUSTAV A. l-lAR'lll, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO PIERRE OHOU- TEAU, OF SAME PLACE.

DIRECT-ACT SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 897,959, dated February 19, 1889.

Original application filed August 20, 1888, Serial No. 283,220. 291,950.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

- Be itknown that I, GUSTAV A. EARTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direct-Acting Steam or Pneumatic Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements .in direct-acting steam or pneumatic engines wherein the piston is reciprocated in the cylinder by the action of its valve without the intervention of valve-operating mechanism, and has for its object to vary the stroke of the piston while handling the machine when used for calking, riveting, mining, and other purposes.

The subject-matter ol the present application is a division of application for United States Letters Patent filed by me in the United States Patent Office August 20, 1888, Serial No. 283,220. It comprises a cylinder bored out concentrically to two different diameters for different portions of its length and a piston working therein, a tubular piston-rod provided with inlet and discharge passages, a distribution-valve adapted to reciprocate within said piston-rod, a rod attached to the tubular piston-rod and extending through a cylindrical tube or casing projecting from and closing the inner end of the cylinder, a stock or holder secured to the outer end of the extension piston-rod and carrying a chisel or other appliance, and a supplemental arrangement of ports or passages controlled by a specially-devised valve for varying the stroke of the piston when starting from the inner end of the cylinder, the whole being-mounted on wheels for facilitating the transport and application of the machine.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a central longitudinal section, broken away, of my improved direct-acting engine adapted for use as a chipping device in mining operations, the piston being shown at the outer termination of its stroke; Fig. 2, the continuation of Fig. 1, broken away; Fig. 3, a similar view taken diagonally to that in Fig. 1, the piston being shown part way along Divided and this application filed November 27, (N0 model.)

1888. Serial No.

in all the figures.

a represents the cylinder, which is bored out concentrically to two different diameters, extending in opposite directions from a plane at or near the middle of its length, and corresponding, respectively, with the diameters of its piston b and of a tubular pistonrod, c, which is formed in one piece with or secured to the piston 11. The piston 11 and tubular piston-rod c are bored out centrally to provide a cylindrical chamber or cavity, (1, which extends from its open end, where it is flush with the outer side of the piston b, to a suitable depth within the tubular piston-rod c, the inner end of which is extended by means of a rod, 0, passing through the inner end of the cylinder a and through a cylindrical tube or casing, a, which projects therefrom, and closes the inner end of the cylinder at and forms a guide for the extension piston-rod c.

To the end of the extension piston-rod 0, external to theouter end of the casing a, is fixed a stock or holder, 72, for receiving and holding the chipping-tool i, or other appliance, as the case may be.

In the outer open end of the cylindrical chamber or cavity (1 in the piston b and rod 0 is fitted and fixed a cylindrical flanged tube or sleeve, j,which is flush at its outer end with. the outer side of the piston Z) and extends a certain distance within the chamber (1.

lnto the inner end portion of the tube or sleeve j projects the outer diametrically-reduced end port-i011 of a cylindrical distribution-valve, k, which to the extent of that pol tion of its length beyond the shoulder of its reduced end is fitted to and capable of reciprocating within the chamber d, and is formed with a longitudinal central supply-passage, Z, extending from. its outer open end, inclosed the cylinder toward the outerond of its stroke Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, transverse sections 011 Like letters of reference denote like parts by the tube or sleeve j, to a suitable distance thercfro1n,one or more inlet-passages, m, being formed near the inner closed end of the supply-passage Z through the wall of the distributionwalve 7r, and communicating with an annular space, 777', formed by a circumfereir tial recess in the interiorsurface of the chamber (I, in conjunction with the circu m ferential surface of the distributionwaive 7a.

n a are inlet-passages leading to the chamber d through the wall of the latter from the outside of the tubular piston-rod (e.

- 0 is an inlet-passage extending from the outside of the tubular piston-rod 0 beyond the inlet-passages 1: through the wall of the tubular piston-rod c and through the inner end of the chamber (Z, with which it communicates behind the .distrilmtion-valve 7;, and p is an outlet-passage extending from the side of the chamber (7, at a suitable distance from the inner end of the latter, through the tubular pistonerod c to the outside of the latter toward its inner end.

q q are exhaust-passages extending from the interior of tube or sleeve j, through the wall of and surrounding the latter, and thence longitudinally through the inner portion of the piston b, as indicated by dot-ted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and tubular piston-rod c to acircum ferential recess, q, formed on the outside of the rod 0 toward its inner end beyond the outlet-passage p, by which arrangement the innerend of. the tubular piston-rod c is closed for the purpose of cushioning the piston Z1 and rod 0 at the termination of their inner stroke.

is an exhaust-passage opening from the small portion of the cylinder a into the external atn'iosphere.

Steam or other motive fluid is admitted to the engine through the inlet-passage T, which opens into the cylinder a at the inn er end of its larger portion, and is provided at its mouth with a suitable Valve (not shown) for controlling the pressure.

In operation, the parts being in the position seen in Fig. l, the operator locates the machine by means of its handle and wheels 1 into the desired posit ion for the work, and admits steam or other motive fluid through the inlet-passage '2' into the cylinder a on the inner side of the piston I), as indicated by the arrows, where, circulating around the tubular piston-rod c, it passes through the inlet-passages n, annular space m, and inlet-passages on into the central supply-passage, Z, of the distributio11-valve 7c, and through the tube or sleeve j to the outer side of the piston b,which, with the tubular piston-rod c, is thereby forced toward the inner closed end of the cylinder 0, and, carrying with them the extension pistonrod c and stock or holder 7:, causes thechipping-chisel i to strike upon the material to be dislodged. Meanwhile the outlet-passage p on reaching the exhaust-passage g through the wall of the small portion of the cylinder a, and the inlet-passages 72,01 and 0 entering the same part of the cylinder (1, and being thereby closed to the ingress of steam, the steam which was behind and held the distribution-valve L in its outward position is exhausted through the passages p and q and allows the distrilnition-valve 7; to be forced toward the inner end of its chamber (1, so as to close the inlet-passages n a", and thereby prevent the subsequent entrance of live steam to the central supply-passage, I. As the distribution-Valve k is approaching the end of its travel, it closes the mouth of the outlet passage p, so that the steam then occupying the space between the distribution-valve k and the inner end of the chamber (Z and that contained in the inlet-passage 0, not being able to escape is compressed and acts as a cushion to the distribution-Valve 7.: in terminating its stroke. Simultaneously, by the inward movement of the distribution-valve it, its outer reduced end uncovers the exhaustpassages q, through which and through the circumferential recess q around the inner end portion of the tubular piston-rod c the steam from the outer side of the piston?) is exhausted through the passage q into the atmosphere, and the steam contained in the cylinder a on the inner side of the piston h presses upon the annular surface of the lat ter, and thereby forces the piston I), with the tubular piston-rod 0, toward the outer end of the cylinder a, or so as to withdraw the chisel 'i from the material until the inlet-passage 0 passes just beyond the outer end of the small portion of. the cylinder to into the larger portion of the latter, when the steam from the space on the inner side of the piston b enters the passage 0 and forces the distribution-valve 7r outward to its original position, or with the shoulder of its reduced end bearing against the inner end of the tube or sleevey', thereby again opening communication between the inlet-passages n m m for at'lmitting thesteam to the outer side of the piston Z2 and to the passage 01, for supporting the distributionvalyek in the outward position while the pisn Z i$l fQ T n i ret nr e- The above description applies to the normal operation of the machine, with the piston and its appendages making full stroke in the cylinder; but in practice it is found desirable to shorten the stroke of the piston for producing short and rapid blows of the chisel against the material to be dislodged. To this end there are formed through the wall of the cylinder a at the lowest or other convenient part of its small portion between the inner end of the larger portion and the main exhaust-passage (12 (see Fig. 3) supplemental. ports or passages 1 2 3 4: 5, (more or less,) which are in line, at suitable distances apart, with the inlet-passage o to the chamber d, containing the distribution-Valve 7g, and with a passage, Z), which is formed through the wall of the cylinder a at the inner end of its larger portion. The ports or passages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and I) open from the cylinder (0 into a cylin drical chamber, ,2, which is formed longitudi nally in the wall of the cylinder a and closed at both ends. Within the chamber 2 is fitted a cylindrical valve, y, to which is attached an operating-spindle, to, extending to the outer end of the machine and provided thereat with a suitable handle, a. The wall of the valve 1 is cut away in a series of successive notches or spaces equal in number to the ports 1, 2, 3, 4:, and 5, and corresponding in length, respectively, with the arithmetical. progressive additions of their diametersthat is to say, the circumferential length of the first notch around the valve y will be that due to the diameter and necessary cover of port 1,the second notch that due to port 1 plus port 2, the third notch to port 1 plus 2 plus 3, and so on throughout the entire series, the fifth notch being prolonged longitudinally with the valve y to beyond the passage 1) for allowing the latter to normally remain open to the chamber 2, except When closed simultaneously with the ports 1 2 3 4: 5.

The position of the valv'e y, as seen in Figs. 3 and 10, is so that its first notch or space is opposite to port 1 and its other spaces in the various relative positions to the ports 2, 3, 4, 5, and b, as seen respectively in Figs. 4:, 5, G, 7, 8, and 9that is to say, the entire series of ports 1, 2, 3,1, 5, and Z) are open to the chamber 2. As soon, therefore, as the mouth of the inlet-passage 0 during the outer stroke of the piston Z) arrives opposite to port 1 the steam, coining from the larger portion of the cylinder a through the passage b and chamber 2, passes through port 1 and passage 0, and forcing the distribution-valve 7toutward reverses the moy'ement of the piston 11 in the same manner as if the passage 0 hastraveled to its full the connnencement or inner end of the larger 1 portion of the cylinder a. By successive partial rotations of the valve y, as indicated by the arrows, the ports 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 may be successively closed for varying the stroke of the piston 12 according to their respective distances from the larger portion of the cylinder to; or all the ports 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and Z) may be closed simultaneously when desired to make the full stroke of the piston b.

I claim 1. In a direct-acting steam or pneumatic engine, the combination of the cylinder having inlet ports or passages and an outlet port or passage, said passages opening into a'chamber closed at both ends and containing a valve, with the inlet passage in piston-rod to the chamber containing the distribution-valve, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of inlet ports or passages and valve 3 in closed chamber ,2, with outlet-passage Z) from cylinder at and inletpassage 0 in piston-rod 0, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my sigl'iature, in presence of two witnesses, this 21th day of November, 1888.

cusrlw A. EARTH.

Witnesses:

S. L. SOHRADER, PAUL BAKEWELL. 

